Trying to Decide on Which Physics Program

[erok81]

I have come to the semester where I have to make a choice. My school has two physics programs; an applied program and what's called a pre-professional program. The latter is designed for people who want to pursue a PhD. I've made up mind on the graduate school part, but I am waffling on which program to choose. The pre-professional program has more upper level/graduate courses so it saves time once you get to graduate school. Plus the pre-professional program has more interesting courses. I'd assume that only applies to if I stick with my same school...but anyway that's a different subject.

In order to make it into graduate school one needs to take the physics GRE. This is where my question comes in.

Here are the two programs laid out from the physics department.

Applied Program

2210 Phys for Sci & Eng I
2220 Phys for Sci & Eng II
2215 Phys for S & E Lab I
2225 Phys for S & E Lab II
3730 Intro to Comp Phys
3740 Intro to Quant & Rel.
3760 Thermo & Stat Mech
3719 Undergrad Lab
3410 Modern Optics
3610 Electronics I
5010 Theoretical Mechanics
5020 Theoretical E & M
5110 Particle & Nuclear Phys
3620 Electronics II


Pre-Professional Program

2210 Phys for Scientists I
2220 Phys for Scientists II
2215 Phys for S & E Lab I
2225 Phys for S & E Lab II
3730 Intro to Comp Phys
3740 Intro to Quant & Rel.
5110 Particle & Nuclear Phys
3760 Thermo & Stat Mech
3719 Undergrad Lab
4410 Classical Physics I
4420 Classical Physics II
5450 Intro to Quant Mech
5460 Intro to Stat Mech

My two questions. For those that are familiar with these "shortcuts to graduate school" type programs...are they worth it or should I just stick to the applied program? I'd probably be better prepared...

The second question. Say I stick with the pre-professional program. Since I will be missing out on the optics course and a couple others, will that leave me under-prepared to take the GRE? Or is it something I'd just have to study on my own to prepare?

 

[erok81]

Nothing? Not even from two-fish!?

Would any additional information help? I'm mostly looking forward to the last four courses of the pre-professional program.

 

[eri]

Strange - you really need to take at least one semesters of E&M to prepare for grad school, and two would be better (same for QM) but E&M isn't even listed for pre-professional. And few schools expect you to have taken 2 semesters of classical as an undergrad. None of those classes appear to be graduate-level. Even if you transfer from one grad program to another, they often make you retake classes, so taking grad classes in undergrad wouldn't necessarily save you any time even if those were grad classes.

 

[erok81]

Well the Physics I and II are the calc based mechanics and E&M classes.

You post makes sense though. Plus, like you said, I'd end up retaking classes if I ended up at a different school. I'm not too sure if I want to stay at my current school for 7-8 more years. So If I plan on going to a different school, the applied would be a better choice.

It's also the courses that are appealing. I really want to take those upper level classical courses and don't want to do optics - I hated that section in calc based physics II. But maybe it's better in the upper levels.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I would describe the pre-professional program as "minimal", not "strong". The applied program is even less than minimal. I would have a hard time voting for an applicant who had only half a class in quantum.

 

[erok81]

That's not good!

Maybe I'll just stick with the pre-professional program then. Since it seems to be the better of the two. As far as E&M is concerned, the classical physics II covers that.

That does help though. I am leaning toward the pre-professional one as it is, mainly due to the classes seem more interesting.